RSS autodiscovery

This mod will trigger autodiscovery in news aggregators that support autodiscovery (most do). What does this mean?

Let's say you have a news aggregator, like Newz Crawler installed. If you visit a site with this 'mod' installed, Newz Crawler automatically discovers your RSS feed and will allow you to simply add it as a news source.

Here's how to install it:

In AdminCP, in the headinclude, find (usually about 3-4 lines from the top):

<meta name="description" content="$vboptions[description]" />

add the following below:

<if condition="$vboptions[externalrss]">
<link rel="alternate" href="$vboptions[bburl]/external.php?type=RSS2" title="$vboptions[bbtitle] RSS Feed" type="application/rss+xml" />
</if>

That's it. Simple.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Demo - turn on your autodiscovering news reader before visiting http://www.efhs84.com/

update - changed feed type to RSS2.

[Chris Gwynne]

The RSS isn't on by default, so you might want to come up with an IF statement for the above code.

[58sniper]

Done - code updated

Also, I've noticed that if you use Opera, and have the navigation toolbar turned on, this mod will cause the "newsfeed" button to light up.

[58sniper]

Someone asked how this will work with the RSS Output Mod & Icon hack. All I can say is that my mod only supplies the full RSS feed, which is the same feed as that described in the FORUMHOME part of the RSS Output Mod hack. It will NOT interfere with that hack. Two different results using two different methods. Mine merely triggers autodiscovery.

[58sniper]

Here are a couple of screen shots. The first is the autodiscovery popup from Newz Crawler when going to a site with this mod installed.

The second is a shot of the Opera Navigation toolbar when visiting the same site. Notice that the "newsfeed" button is no longer greyed out.

[58sniper]

Also, for what it's worth, if your users are using some news aggregators that continuosly check their feeds, new posts on your site will automatically notify the user. Note the screen shot below, which occured a couple of minutes after that post was made to the site.

[ChessMess]

How might one create a 'Syndication' page that contains all the desired rss links (since my forum has many) so that if you visited this page it will auto-discover all feeds?

Also Auto-Discovery with the mod that allows sub-forums and boards to have thier own news feeds would be idea.

[58sniper]

Interesting idea. You can have multiple link tags that point to RSS files. But your autodiscovery idea (for subforums) would require more queries.

The "Syndication" page is "doable".... Let me think on that one. Interesting idea.

Note: Please click INSTALL if you're using this. Also, I added another hack that uses link tags to enable some Opera features. Check it out at http://www.vbulletintemplates.com/mo...ead.php?t=7003

[ChessMess]

Any progress?

[58sniper]

I've just determined that this hack also causes the RSS button in Firefox 1.0 to become visible. You can then click on it to view the feed. See attached screenshot.

No progress on the other request, and I'm not sure I'll be able to pull it off easily.